scholarly journals Influences of Immunocastration on Endocrine Parameters, Growth Performance and Carcass Quality, as Well as on Boar Taint and Penile Injuries

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Zoels ◽  
Simon Reiter ◽  
Mathias Ritzmann ◽  
Christine Weiß ◽  
Jasmin Numberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Threshold Level ◽  
Boar Taint ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Welfare Issue ◽  
Long Term Follow Up ◽  
Endogenous Immune Response ◽  
Endocrine Parameters ◽  
Testicular Steroids

Castration of male pigs without anesthesia is a significant welfare issue. Improvac®, a GnRH vaccine induces an endogenous immune response leading to a decrease in testicular steroids. Consequences of different vaccination schemes on testicular function and carcass quality were evaluated in immunocastrated boars (IC), surgical castrates (SC), and entire males (EM). Therefore, 128 male piglets were assigned to five treatment-groups and a long term follow-up group. IC groups received two vaccinations (V1, V2) with Improvac® at 8 and 12, 12 and 16, or 12 and 18 weeks. Testosterone-concentrations decreased significantly two weeks after V2 in feces and dropped in serum from V2 to slaughter (S) except IC-8/12 without differing significantly. GnRH-binding results indicated the highest values for IC-12/18 animals. While IC-12/16 and IC-12/18 animals showed boar taint compounds below the threshold levels, two IC-8/12 animals had concentrations above the threshold level. Feed-efficiency was higher in EM than in SC with IC in between. In IC compared to EM, a decreasing amount of polyunsaturated-fatty-acids was obvious and GnRH-vaccination reduced penile injuries. The examined vaccination protocols reduce penile injuries, improve feed efficiency and carcass quality, and reliably prevents boar taint, if manufacturer’s recommendations concerning vaccination schedules are applied. Therefore immunocastration offers a reliable, animal friendly alternative to surgical castration.

scholarly journals Pros and Cons of Alternatives to Piglet Castration: Welfare, Boar Taint, and Other Meat Quality Traits

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonneau ◽  
Weiler
Keyword(s):  
Meat Quality ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Fat Content ◽  
Boar Taint ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
Feed Costs ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Entire Male

This paper reviews the pros and cons of various alternatives to the surgical castration of male piglets without pain relief. Castration is mostly motivated by the presence of boar taint in the meat from some entire male pigs. It results in pain during surgery and markedly increases feed costs and the fat content of the carcass. Raising entire male pigs avoids pain at castration, but animals can suffer from increased stress during the finishing period because of aggressive and mounting behavior. Feed efficiency and carcass quality are much better than in surgical castrates. The quality of meat from entire male pigs is lower because of boar taint, a reduced intramuscular fat content, and increased unsaturation of the fat. Immunocastration prevents boar taint, pain associated with surgery, and stress related to aggressive and mounting behavior. Feed efficiency and carcass quality are intermediate between surgical castrates and entire males. Meat quality is similar to surgical castrates. Anesthesia alone prevents pain during surgery, but not after, while analgesia alone mitigates pain after surgery, but not during it. With the currently available methods, the cost of combined anesthesia and analgesia is too high for conventional production systems in most countries.

scholarly journals PSVIII-35 Late-Breaking Abstract: Administration of an appeasing substance at castration improves performance of pre-conditioned beef crossbred steers

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 347-348
Author(s):  
Kelsey Schubach ◽  
Bruno I Cappellozza ◽  
Marcos Renato Burim ◽  
André Velasco ◽  
Fernando Sagrado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Minimum Distance ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Experimental Unit ◽  
Water Restriction ◽  
Improve Performance ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
To Receive

Abstract Alternatives that alleviate stress-related responses and improve performance of the beef cattle herd are imperative and deserve further investigation. In previous trials, administration of the bovine appeasing substance (BAS) has improved performance of newly-weaned and feedlot received beef animals, as well as reduced the risk of dark, firm, and dry (DFD) cuts in carcass obtained from Bos indicus cattle. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the effects of BAS administration at castration on pre-conditioning performance of crossbred beef animals. On day 0, 390 crossbred Angus × Nellore animals were ranked by initial shrunk BW (255 ± 21.1 kg) and assigned to receive or not (CON) 5 mL/head of BAS (SecureCattle; Nutricorp, Araras, SP, Brazil) immediately before castration. From d 0 to 30, animals within treatments were maintained in 2 feedot pens with a minimum distance (300 m) to avoid contact between treatment groups and received a grass hay-based diet (70:30 roughage:concentrate ratio) ad libitum. On day 30, animals were individually weighed following 16 hours of feed and water restriction. Hence, a descriptive analysis was performed to evaluate pen dry matter intake (DMI) and feed efficiency (FE). Animal was considered the experimental unit and all data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS (version 9.4; SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC). Bovine appeasing substance administration at castration improved ADG and BW change (P < 0.0001) compared with CON cohorts (0.983 vs. 1.155 kg/d and 29.5 vs. 34.6 kg for ADG and BW change, respectively). Total DMI was similar among treatments when reported as kg/d (6.70 vs. 6.75 kg) or % of BW (2.48 vs. 2.48%), whereas FE was dramatically improved in BAS-administered animals (146 vs. 172 g/kg for CON and BAS, respectively). In summary, BAS administration improved performance of crossbred beef animals for 30 days post-castration.

COMPARAISON DE DIVERSES METHODES DE CASTRATION ET DE STERILISATION DES AGNEAUX: I. INFLUENCE DE CES METHODES SUR LA CROISSANCE, L’EFFICIENCE ALIMENTAIRE, LE RENDEMENT A L’AHATTAGE ET LA RENTABILITE

1971 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 579-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. BAILLARGEON ◽  
J. P. LEMAY ◽  
W. B. HOLTMANN ◽  
L. A. CHARETTE
Keyword(s):  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Intramuscular Injection ◽  
Cadmium Chloride ◽  
Complete Removal ◽  
Chemical Methods ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Dressing Percentage ◽  
Breeding Groups ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
Daily Gain

An experiment was conducted to compare various physical and chemical methods of castration of lambs at 15 and 60 days of age. Their effects on body growth, feed efficiency, dressing percentage and profitability were studied. At birth 100 lambs were divided among the 16 different treatments according to sex and the following breeding groups: Suffolk, North Country Cheviot, two-breed cross and three-breed cross. The different methods of castration were: complete removal of the testicles, Burdizzo, elastrator and partial castration. The sterilization methods consisted of intramuscular, intratesticular and intraveinous injection of cadmium chloride. All lambs were weaned at 30 days of age and placed in individual pens. They were subjected to similar environmental conditions and shipped to slaughter at approximately 45 kg body weight. Significant differences were observed among breeds, sexes and the various castration methods for daily gain, feed efficiency, days required to reach market and profitability. Age at castration did not have any important effect ort the variables measured. Superior gains, feed efficiency and profitability were observed for the partially castrated group, for the lambs that received an intramuscular injection of cadmium chloride and for the non-castrated males. All treatment groups involving males were superior to the females for the characters studied except for dressing percentage.

The effects of nutrition on reproductive performance, lactation and carcass quality of once bred gilts

1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 178-178
Author(s):  
A H Stewart ◽  
S A Edwards ◽  
V R Fowler
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Reproductive Physiology ◽  
Sugar Beet Pulp ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Beet Pulp ◽  
Ad Libitum

The once bred gilt system of production has a number of benefits in terms of feed efficiency and welfare, however the system relies on the production of a quality carcass and acceptable reproductive performance. Previous studies have indicated that welfare might be improved if gilts were ad-libitum fed a diet containing 60% Sugar beet pulp (Stewart et al 1993). There was a suggestion however that reproductive physiology may be put at risk using such a diet. The objective of this experiment was to identify differences in reproductive performance using two different energy sources in gestation and to manipulate nutrition during lactation to study the effect on carcass quality.

THE EFFECTS OF SEX AND AGE OF MALE AT CASTRATION ON GROWTH AND CARCASS QUALITY OF YORKSHIRE SWINE

1961 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Charette
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Iodine Number ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Carcass Characteristics ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Effect On Growth

The effects of sex and age of castration of males on growth rate, feed efficiency and carcass characteristics in bacon type swine were measured using 16 pigs each as gilts, entire boars, and boars castrated at birth, 6, 12, 16, and 20 weeks of age. Castration at 20 weeks was too late since some pigs reached 200 pounds live weight before that age. Boars consumed less feed daily than barrows and gilts, were thinner in loin fat, and yielded a higher percentage of shoulder than gilts. The carcasses of boars and gilts were longer, had less fat covering over the shoulder and back, a larger area of loin, and a higher iodine number than those castrated late. Acceptability tests showed that sex or age of castration did not affect the flavour, odour, or tenderness of the meat.Purebred breeders can delay castration for better selection of boars without any serious effect on growth, physical carcass characteristics, and feed requirements. Although the market discriminates against boars, it appears questionable whether castration is necessary when boars are slaughtered at 200 pounds before they reach the age of 150 days.

scholarly journals Stool and ruminal microbiome components associated with methane emission and feed efficiency in Nelore beef cattle.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno G.N. Andrade ◽  
Haithem Afli ◽  
Flavia A. Bressani ◽  
Rafael R. C. Cuadrat ◽  
Priscila S. N. de Oliveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Methane Emission ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Mixed Linear Models ◽  
Human Welfare ◽  
Feed Composition ◽  
Fecal Microbiome ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: The impact of extreme changes in weather patterns in the economy and human welfare are some of the biggest challenges that our civilization is facing. From the anthropogenic activities that contribute to climate change, reducing the impact of farming activities is a priority, since it is responsible for up to 18% of greenhouse gases linked to such activities. To this end, we tested if the ruminal and fecal microbiome components of 52 Brazilian Nelore bulls, belonging to two treatment groups based on the feed intervention, conventional and by-products based diet, could be used in the future as biomarkers for methane emission and feed efficiency in bovine.Results: We identified a total of 5,693 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) in the Nelore bulls microbiomes. Differential abundance (DA) analysis with the ANCOM approach identified 30 bacterial and 15 archaea ASVs as DA among treatment groups. Association analysis using Maaslin2 and Mixed Linear Models indicated that bacterial ASVs are linked to the residual methane emission (RCH4) and Residual Feed Intake (RFI) phenotypes, contributing to the host’s phenotypic variation, suggesting their potential as targets for interventions and/or biomarkers.Conclusion: Feed composition induced significant differences in abundance and richness of ruminal and fecal microbial populations. The diet based on industrial byproducts applied to our treatment groups influenced the microbiome diversity of bacteria and archaea, but not of protozoa. Different ASVs were associated with RCH4 emission and RFI in both ruminal and fecal microbiomes. While ruminal ASVs are expected to directly influence RCH4 emission and RFI, the relation of fecal taxa, such as Alistipes and Rikenellaceae (gut group RC9), with these traits might also be associated with host health due to their link to anti-inflammatory compounds, and these have the potential to be used as accessible biomarkers for these complex phenotypes.

Growth performance of weaner rabbits on diets containing varying levels of dried okra leaves (Abelmoschus esculentus)

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 124-131
Author(s):  
A. A. Imade ◽  
C. F. I. Onwuka ◽  
V. A. Jegede ◽  
O. Y. Ayo-Ajasa ◽  
B. B. Sarumi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Average Weight ◽  
Feeding Trial ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Alternative Feed ◽  
Randomized Design ◽  
Inclusion Level ◽  
Completely Randomized Design ◽  
Dietary Treatments

The need to seek for alternative feed materials with nutritional and medicinal values to support livestock growth necessitated this study. Forty-five unsexed rabbits crosses (Chinchilla × Newzealand white) 5- 6 weeks old with average weight of 720g were used in a 10- week feeding trial to evaluate the performance of growing rabbits fed on varying levels of dried okra leaves. The rabbits were assigned into five treatment groups containing dried okra leaves (DOL) at 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% inclusion levels for dietary treatments (T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5) respectively. Each treatment consisted of 9 rabbits and replicated thrice with each replicate consisting of 3 rabbits in a completely randomized design. Data collected were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results indicated that daily feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) largest in rabbits fed 5.00% inclusion level of dried okra leaves (84.57g) and least in rabbits fed 0.00% level of inclusion of dried okra leaves (72.12g). Feed efficiency (FE) was poorest (P<0.05) in rabbits fed 10.00% DOL (0.15%) and best (0.20%) in rabbits fed 2.50% dried okra leaves. It was concluded that okra leaves can be included in diets for growing rabbits and 2.50% level of dried okra leaves inclusion is recommended for adoption by farmers to maximize profit.

scholarly journals Electroacupuncture Versus Gabapentin for Hot Flashes Among Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (31) ◽  
pp. 3615-3620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun J. Mao ◽  
Marjorie A. Bowman ◽  
Sharon X. Xie ◽  
Deborah Bruner ◽  
Angela DeMichele ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Hot Flashes ◽  
Sham Acupuncture ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Long Term Follow Up ◽  
Nocebo Effects

Purpose Hot flashes are a common and debilitating symptom among survivors of breast cancer. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) versus gabapentin (GP) for hot flashes among survivors of breast cancer, with a specific focus on the placebo and nocebo effects. Patients and Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial involving 120 survivors of breast cancer experiencing bothersome hot flashes twice per day or greater. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 8 weeks of EA or GP once per day with validated placebo controls (sham acupuncture [SA] or placebo pills [PPs]). The primary end point was change in the hot flash composite score (HFCS) between SA and PP at week 8, with secondary end points including group comparisons and additional evaluation at week 24 for durability of treatment effects. Results By week 8, SA produced significantly greater reduction in HFCS than did PP (−2.39; 95% CI, −4.60 to −0.17). Among all treatment groups, the mean reduction in HFCS was greatest in the EA group, followed by SA, GP, and PP (−7.4 v −5.9 v −5.2 v −3.4; P = < .001). The pill groups had more treatment-related adverse events than did the acupuncture groups: GP (39.3%), PP (20.0%), EA (16.7%), and SA (3.1%), with P = .005. By week 24, HFCS reduction was greatest in the EA group, followed by SA, PP, and GP (−8.5 v −6.1 v −4.6 v −2.8; P = .002). Conclusion Acupuncture produced larger placebo and smaller nocebo effects than did pills for the treatment of hot flashes. EA may be more effective than GP, with fewer adverse effects for managing hot flashes among breast cancer survivors; however, these preliminary findings need to be confirmed in larger randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up.

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